DAVIS, CA — After years of development, Sudwerk Brewing Company launched a new flagship beer this fall, creating an aromatic, refreshing lager that will capture the attention of IPA and lager fans.
The Davis brewery, which specializes in German craft lagers, has a new generation of owners. They saw a niche in the market for a lager that appeals to both hop lovers and mainstream beer drinkers. To achieve this, Sudwerk created a new style by adding West Coast hops to its Munich Helles Lager, renaming it the California Dry-Hop Lager.
Sudwerk Lead Brewer Mike Hutson is excited about the change. “It’s like a bridge between ‘hop heads’ and traditional lager drinkers. It will be an awesome tool to link the two crowds.”
Owner Trent Yackzan, whose grandfather was one of the brewery’s founders, said the California Dry-Hop Lager “has the piney, citrusy hop aroma of an IPA mixed with the refreshment of a lager. It’s a hybrid style, and a nod to the greater California craft brewing movement.”
Since its release in early September, response has been great, Yackzan said, and momentum is building as its distribution widens from Northern California and beyond.
The California Dry-Hop Lager is 5.0% ABV and 28 IBU. Look for it in six packs and on tap, with its new hop-colored label and Sudwerk’s bike-riding bear logo.